Combined seed-planter.



No. 728,803- PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

P. LE SUBUR. COMBINED SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED Jmrm, 1900. no 1101131.. -2-8H-BBTBSH-EET '1.

10 MODEL.

No. 728,803. PATENTED MAY 19, 1903' 1?. LE SUBUR.

COMBINED SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1900. I

' 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

Z VIIIJIII T Fi/IIIIIIII UNIT D STATE-s Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFIc PHILIP LE SUEUR, OF OALABASAS, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR orTwo-Temps TO WILLIAM (J. FRY, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, AND PH LIP J.I-IUMMEL, OF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED SVEEDV-YPLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 728,803, dated May 19,1903.

Application filed January 18, 1900 l Serial No. 1,962. (No model..-

To all whomit may concern:

zen of the United States, residing at Calabasas, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful CombinedSeed-Planter, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved simple attachmentfor cnltivators IO and plows, the same being transferable with greatease and facility from cultivator to plow and from plow to cultivatorand adapted for planting seeds of various sizes at either the time ofbreaking the soil or in after cultivation, as may be desired. I

Another Object of my invention is to provide improved means fora plow ora cnltivator by means of which a machine may be produced whereby thesoil can be plowed or'cul- 2o tit ated to one depth and at the sameoperation the seeds be planted at another depth and along any desiredline in the furrow or in the ground being cultivated.

An object of my invention is to enable the farmer to interchangeably usethe seeding device with a common plow, with a cultivator, with ahill'side-plow, or with a listing-plow, as occasion may require, so thatwith the same I seeding device which is adapted for level land he isable to plant his corn or other seed in regular rows, following thecontour of the hill and while plowing the hillside with hishillside-plow. A

My invention relates to the seeding device and the means for actuatingthe same. I

It also relates to alaterally-shifting extensible tube or spout for usein connection with a plow for delivering the seed from the seedingdevice to the desired depth in the freshlyturned soil and at the desireddistance from the landside of the furrow being turned.

Anotherobjectof my invention is to provide convenient means for throwingthe seeder out of operation.

Another object is to provide improved means for regulating the speed ofthe dropping-plate.

In my invention I avoid theuse of cogs, chains, and largespring-actuated parts and transmit the motion from the drive-wheel tothe dropper-plateby asimple crank, with a Be itknown thatI, PHILIP LESUEUR, a citipit'man, a plunger, and detachable clogs carried by theplunger to engage ratchet-teeth on the rim of the droppingplate andwhereby the speed of the dropping-plate is changed by increasing ordecreasing the number of dogs used.

, When the seeding'device is used with a plow, the gage-wheel of theplow serves for the driving-wheel of the seeding device.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. A A

Figure I is a perspective view of my invention as applied inacultiva'tor. Fig. II isa plan of the same, a portionof thecultivator-handles being broken away. Fig. III is a view showing theinvention as applied to a plow. Fig.'IV is a plan of the seedingmechanism on line IV IV, Figs. VIII and. IX, showing four detachabledogs for actuating the droppingplate at agiven speed." Fig. V is adetail of one of the dogs for actuating the dropping-plate. Fig. VIis afragmental detail of the laterally-adjustable seed dropping or dischargetube. Fig; VII is a plan view of the seeding mechanism when three of thedogs shown in Fig. IV have been removed. A fragment of the plow-beam isshown. Fig. VIII is a sectional elevation of the seeding mechanism onirregular-line VIII VIII, Fig. VII. Fig. VIII is a detail of thesupporting-block Z. Fig. IX is a sectional elevation on irregular lineIX IX, Fig. VII. Fig. X isadetail of the attachment for detachablyconnecting the pit man and the dropping-wheel-operating plungertogether. Fig. XI is a vertical section on line XI XI, Fig. III, andFig. XII is. a fragmental, sectional detail of the hopper-bottomanddropper-plate with dog in place. Line XII XII, Fig. VII, indicatesthe'line of se'ction.

The beamthat is to say, the part of the machine which supports theseeding devicemay be variouslyconstructed. In Figs. I and II, Aindicates the center beam or bar of the cultivator-frame. In Figs. III,VII, and XI A indicates the beam of a plow. These beams form theseeder-supports in the two styles of machines illustrated.

Myinventiou in practical use will be mount- I00 ed upon the beampertaining to the cultivator, plow, or other machine which is to form apart of the complete planter. The drivewheel which is to operate themechanism may also be variously constructed and of various sizes. In thedrawings, B indicates such drive-wheel, and it forms the gage-wheel forthe plow shown in Fig. III. This drivewheel may be mounted in anysuitable way. In Figs. III and XI it is shown mounted on the plow-beamby means of a carrierO, which is firmly bolted to the plow-beam by bolts0. Said carrier is furnished with a plurality of journal-holes c toreceive bearings or bushings D. (Clearly shown in Fig. XI.) Saidbearings are furnished with shoulders d, and the bearings D are insertedinto the appro priate journal-holes c, with the shoulders d on the outerside of.the carrier. These bearings are kept in position by the crank eon one side of the carrier and by the hub 19 of the drive-wheel B, whichis secured on the other side of the carrier by a linchpin F, whichextends through the huh b of the drivewheel. and through the shaft E,which is turned by the wheel B and carries the crank e. The-holes 0'allow the drive-wheel B to be raised and lowered to regulate the depthof plowing. The drive-wheel may be readily transferred from plow-frameto cultivatorframe, and vice versa, by removing the linchpin F andshaftE and transferring the same, with the bearings D, to the cultivator orplow, as the case may be. The wheel B may be attached to the carrier 0or any other suitablesupporting device, the bushings or bearings D beingapplied along with the shaft.

In Figs. I and II, 0 indicates a form of carrier. for attaching thewheel B to the cultiva- H tor-frame.

G indicates a pitman of any suitable-form journaled on the crank e, tobe driven thereby. Said pitman G is pivotally connected with a device H,which is preferably in the form of a plunger construct-ed rectangularincross-section to prevent turning and is furnished with one or more dogsI. In Fig. IV the plunger H is shown furnished with four dogs I, and inFig. VII the plunger is shown furnished with only one of said four dogs.

J indicates a dropper-plate provided with holesj and with ratchet-teethj. Each dog I engages the ratchet-teeth of the dropperplate J. I Themain portion of plu-nger H extends along one edge of the dropper-plate,and its dogs engage the ratchet-teeth on that edge of said plate.

H indicates a detachable portion of the plunger H, extending on theopposite side of thedropper-plate for the purpose of applying one ormore additional dogs to the side of the dropper-plate opposite that uponwhich the dogs of the main portion H of the plunger operates. Theseveral dogs I are detachably attached to the partsH H of the plunger,and the speed of rotation of the dropperplate can be increased ordiminished by increasing or decreasing the number of dogs upon theplunger.

In Fig. III the plunger II is carried by bearings K, fastened to theplow-beam, and can be readily slid out of said bearings when the part Hof the plunger is detached from the part H. This allows the plunger,with its dogs, to be transferred from plow to cultivator frame and fromcultivator to plow frame.

The drive-wheel, the crank-shaft, and its bearings are designed with aview to being transferred from beam of plow to cultivator, and viceversa, all being detachably held in place by the linchpin F.

L indicates the hopper for supplying the seed to the dropper-plate J.

Z indicates the opening iuthe bottom Z of the hopper L, through whichthe seeds fall onto the rotating dropper-plateJ.

M indicates a recess at the rear end of the hopper and open at therearand bottom to expose the dropper-plate above the inlet to the tube N.This is clearly illustrated in Figs. VII, VIII, and IX. Said recessallows that portion ofthedropper-plate J which carries the seed to comeinto view at the moment of discharging the seed into the discharge-pipeN, so that the operator can constantly inspect thedropping action.=

At the sides of the recess M are gates O P, pivoted, respectively, tothe side walls of the recess M. The gate 0 is the cut-off gate, whichcuts off from the body of the seedin the hopper the seed contained inthe seedhole jof the dropper-plate J as said hole passes into the recessM to bring the seed over the seed-discharge hole 21 in the subbottom Lto allow the seed to fall into the dischargepipe N. This allows the seedto pass through the subbottom and into the discharge-pipe N in full viewof the operator, so that any clogging may be instantly detected. Thegate P on the side of the recess-M toward which the dropper-platerotates is to prevent clogging.

Q indicates spiral-springs attached to the tails of the cut-0E gates tohold the gates down .firmly upon the top of the dropping-plate J.

The springs pass up through the roof of the recess M, and the ends arefastened by pins R. The upper portions of the Wires of the springs arestraight-,and the tension of the springs is easily adjustable by raisingor lowering the straight part and exert their force to properly hold thegates in position for the work required.

The seed-dropping spout or tube N is extensible and is adjustablyclamped by a clamp S to a bar a, attached to the plow-handles a for thatpurpose.

T indicates notches in the bar a for positively securing the tube N inthe desired position.

In practical operation by releasing the clamp S the lower portion of thetube N may be moved laterallyto bring the bottom end to any positiondesired. The upper portion of the tube is telescoped, as shown at at inFig. III. n indicates the clamp to be inserted into holes 02 to hold thetube appropriately extended. By this construction the tube may beadjusted to drop seed either in the furrow near the landside or adjustedlaterally away from the landside to drop seed any desired depth in thesoil turned over by the action of the plow as it moves onward.

By referring to Fig. XII it will be seen that the dog I is sufficientlywide to extend across the edges of the dropper-plate Jand the subbottomL of the hopper.

The edges of the subbottom I] are tangential to the teeth of thedropper-plate when said teeth are being operated onby the dogs. The dogbeing wider than the dropping-plate, slides along the edge of thesubbottom L of the hopper, and thus the engagement of the dog withdropper-plate is regulated. The planter is thus provided with means forgaging the depth of engagement of the dogs with the ratchet-teeth of theplatethat is to say, the dog cannot follow the tooth of the plate toofar and the plate cannot be pushed too far around by the dog. Theseed-holej is always brought right over the discharge-pipe N when thedog leaves the dropper-plate.

U indicates a ratchet-spring, which catches in the teeth of the dropper-plate J to prevent back action. The dog I is.detachably pivotedby a pivot V to the plunger H, and a spring W holds the dog out in itsoperative position to engage the teeth of the dropper-plate.

The hopper-bottom Z and the subbottom L are fastened to each other bymeans of three boltsac, and one of said bolts holds the ratchetspring Uin place.

Z indicates supporting-blocks to hold the main hopper-bottom Z free fromthedroppingplate J. In order to provide an adjustable space to allow theuse of a plurality of dropping-plates of difierent thicknesses,theblocks Z are stepped, and each block is pivoted by a pivot 2 to thesubbottom L at the edge of the hopper. The pivot 2 extends through thelower step of the block Z, so that the upper step a can be swung outfrom beneath the hopper-bottom l to allow said bottom to lower to theproper height for a thin dropper-plate (not shown) to be substituted forthe thick dropper-plateshown. 3indicatesaboltwhich pivots thedropper-plate J to the subbottom.

Referring to Figs. III and X, 4 indicates a latch-pin on a slide 9, bywhich the pitman G is detachably connected with the plunger H. 5indicates a spring engaging a pin 4; on pin 4 for normally holding thecatch-pin 4 in position tolock the plunger and pitman together. 6indicates an arm on the catch-pin 4, and 7 indicates a support for thearm 6. When it is desired to run the plow without operating the seeder,the latch-pin 4 will be drawn out and connected with its arm 6 over thesupport 7 therefor, thus holding the latch-pin 4 free from the plungerH, so that the pitman G will play freely along the plunger withoutoperating the same.

In order to increase or decrease the speed of rotation of thedropper-plate J, a greater or less number of dogs I will be used. Whereit is desired to rotate the dropper ata high speed, the four dogs shownin Fig. IV will be used. For the lowest speed only one dog will be used,as indicated in Fig. VII. To increase the speed from the low speed, oneor more additional dogs will be applied, as required. The dogs carriedby the auxiliary member H" of the plunger are set in one'direction atone edge of the dropper-plate to actuate the dropper-plate J at the rearmove ment of the plunger, and the dogs on the main portion of theplunger are set in the other direction at the opposite edge of thedropperplate to operate the plate at the forward movement of theplunger. This arrangement may be reversed, if desired.

In practice the hopper L, with its mechanism, the plunger H, the pitmanG, and driving-wheel B, with crank 6, will be transferred from plow toplanter and from planter to plowframe, as the requirements of the workin hand will make convenient or profitable, and when it is desired touse the plow or cultivator without the seeding devices said devices maybe stored until needed.

' By reference to Figs. VII and IV the method of increasing the speed ofthe dropper-plate J without the use of cogs or chains will beunderstood, in Fig. VII onlyone dog being used and in Fig. IV four dogs.The appropriate speed for dropping the seed at the desired distancesapart is accomplished by using the appropriate number of dogs. This willvary according to the arrangement. For example, one dog may be arrangedto enable a fourteeninch wheel to plant the seed three feet six inchesapart, While a sixteen-inch wheel will plant the seed exactly four feetapart. This form of planter is specially designed for check-planting.The power of the drivingwheel is communicated directly to thedropping-plate without the use of cogs, thus to enable the corn to bedropped with absolute certainty.

The carrier 0 is of inverted-U shape, and the holes 0 in its two armsare oppositely arranged at different heights.

The bushings Dare set in opposite coaxial holes of the same height withtheir shoulders (1 against the outer faces of their respectivedownwardly-extending arms of the inverted- U shape carrier. The shaft,with crank, is then passed through the bushings and'the grounddriving-wheel B, thus bringing the crank against one of the bushings andthe hub of wheel B against the other bushing. The linchpin F is theninserted to hold all the parts together. The seed-hopper auditsappliances being in place and the pitman and plunger properly connectedand the pitman journaled on the crank, the machine is ready foroperation. The gage-wheel B may be seeding mechanism detachably fastenedto the beam and provided with a ratchet-toothed dropping-plate; aplunger; one or more dogs on said plunger for rotating said plate;slideways for said rod connected with said beam; and a pitman detachablyconnected with said rod and with said crank.

2. In a planter, the combination with the beam; of a seed plantingmechanism provid ed with a ratchet-toothed rotary seed-dropping plate; adriving-wheel; a crank driven by said wheel; a plunger provided with oneor more dogs for actuating the rotary dropperplate; slideways for saidplunger fastened to said beam; and a pitman-rod connecting the crankwith the reciprocating rod. 3. In a planter, the combination of thebeam; a driving-wheel carried by thebeam to run along the ground; acrank on the shaft of such wheel; a ratchet-tooth dropper-plate; aplunger furnished with a dog to engage the teeth of said dropper plate;slideways in which said plunger slides; a pitman connected at one endwith the crank and furnished at the other end with a sleeve to slide onthe plunger; and means for detachably connecting the sleeve with theplunger.

4. In a seed-planter, the combination of the toothed dropper-plate; aplunger furnished rection at one edge of the dropper-plate; a detachableauxiliary extension of said plunger extending along the opposite edge ofthe dropper-plate and furnished with dogs extending in a directionopposite the first-named dogs; and means for reciprocating saidplunger.-

5. The combination of the hopper having a main bottom and a subbottom; adropperplate to rotate between the main bottom and subbottom, the mainbottom being provided with a hole to admit seeds to the face of thedropper-plate, and the subbottom being furnished with a hole for theescape of the seed; means for rotating the dropper-plate, a recess beingformed in the rear of the hopper above the opening in the subbottom;gates pivoted in the recess at the opposite sides thereof; and spiralsprings connected with said gates, respectively and furnishedrespectively with a straight portion extending up through the top of therecess-wall and there fastened to adjust the tension of the springs.

6. In a seed-planter, the combination with the planter-frame; of thehopper; the dropperplate at the bottom of the hopper; means for rotatingthe dropper-plate; a subbottom provided with a hole through which theseeds are dropped; a tube to conduct the seeds to the ground; and meansfor adjusting the lower part of said tube laterally.

7. In a planter, the combination with the seeding device and theplanter-frame, of a notched bar; a laterally-adjustable droppertube; andaclamp for clamping said tube in the notches respectively of said bar.

8. The combination with a plow-beam, of a carrier fastened to said beamand furnished with two downwardly-projecting arms provided withoppositely-arranged holes at different heights; two bushings, one foreach of said holes, and each provided with a projection fitting againstthe outside of the carrier, said bushings being arranged coaxially; adriving wheel; a shaft extending through said bushings and through thedriving-wheel and furnished at one end with a crank engaging the outerface of one of the bushings; means for holding the driving-wheel rigidlyon the shaft in engagement with the outside of the other bushing; aplunger furnished with one or more dogs; guides for said plunger; apitman connecting the crank with the plunger; a hopper; and adropper-plate for said hopper furnished with ratchet-teeth with whichthe dog or dogs of the plunger engage.

9. A planter comprising a ground-wheel; a crank connected with theground-wheel to be turned thereby; a plunger playing in guideways andfurnished with a dog or dogs to operate the dropper-plate of theplanter; a pitman connected with the crank at one end and furnished atthe other end with a sleeve to play along the plunger; and a latch forfastening the pitman and the plunger together.

10. Ina combined planter, the combination with wheeled frame of aseed-hopper, having a dropping-plate with ratchet-shaped teeth on itsouter periphery, a device having adog which engages with ratchet teeth,engagement of said dog with ratchet-teeth, regulated by means of theedge of a subbottom provided below the dropping-plate, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a combined planter, the combination with wheeled frame of aseed-hopper, having a dropping-plate with ratchet-teeth on its outerperiphery, a rearwardly-opening recess in rear end of hopper, a cut-offgate, with visible spiral spring in said open recess, and ananticlogginggate, substantially as described.

12. In acombined planter, the combination with a wheeled frame; of aseed-hopper having a dropping-plate with ratchet-teeth on its outerperiphery; a hold-back spring acting on the dropping-plate; andspacing-pieces on the wheeled frame providingfor thick and thindropping-plates for interchangeable use fora plurality ofdropping-plates.

13. The combination of a plow-beam; bearings attached to the plow-beam;a gage-wheel carried by the plow-beam; a shaft for the wheel {a crank onsaid shaft; a plunger workmg in said bearings; a dropper-plate havingratchet-teeth; a dog on the plunger to engage said teeth;aratchet-spring to catch said teeth; and a pitman connecting the crankand the plunger.

14. In a planter, the combination of a ground-wheel; a crank on theshaft of said ground-wheel; a dropper-plate furnished withratchet-teeth; a reciprocating member furnished with detachable dogs toengage said ratchet-teeth; and a pitman connecting the crank with thereciprocating member.

15. In a planter, the combination with the dropper-plate furnished withratchet-teeth, of a reciprocating member furnished with de tachable dogsto engage the ratchet-teeth of the dropper-plate; and means foroperating the reciprocating member whereby the speed of thedropper-plate may be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasingthe number of detachable dogs, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

16. In a planter, the combination with the beam, of plunger bearings orslideways on the beam; a dropper-plate; a plunger provided with one ormore detachable dogs to rotate the dropper-plate; a pitman-rod; aslide-piece and a latch connecting said pitman with the plunger; and adrive-wheel provided with a crank to operate the pitman.

17. In a planter, the combination with the beam, of a seed-hopperfurnished with a main bottom and a subbottom; a ratchet-tootheddropperplate; a plunger with detachable dogs; and means for gaging thedepth of engagement of the dogs with the ratchet-teeth of the plate.

18. The combination of a seed-hopper with a cut-oft gate and ananticlogging-gate, each of which gates is mounted in an outwardlyopeningrecess and respectively furnished with a spiral spring mounted in saidrecess and thereby made visible to the operator; and means forindependently adjusting the tension of said springs, respectively, andhaving spacing-pieces provided for thick and thin dropping-plates,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

19. A planter comprising a plow beam or frame; a planter mechanism; avertically-adjustable gage-wheel at the front end of the plow-beam forgaging the depth of the plow; and adjustable means connecting saidgagewheel with the planter mechanism, whereby the gage-wheel serves thedouble purpose of driving the planter mechanism and gaging the depth ofthe plow.

20. A planter comprising a plow furnished with an adjustable gage-wheelto regulate the depth of the plow; a seed tube vertically adjustablerelative to the plow by means of which the depth at which the seeds aredeposited is regulated independently of the depth of plowing. v

21. A planter comprisinga plow furnished with a vertically adjustablegage wheel; planter mechanism operatively connected with said gage-wheelby adjustable means which allows the gage-Wheel to be raised andlowered; and an independently-adj ustable seeding-tube, whereby theplowing can be at a great depth and the seeding at a less depth.

22. The combination with a plow; of planting mechanism, alaterally-adjustable seeding-tube and means for adjusting said tubelaterally relative to the plow and to its furrow whereby the location ofthe row of seeds deposited can be adjusted relative to the line of thefurrow.

23. In a planter, the combination with an ordinary plow-beam; of aseed-hopper having a ratchet-toothed dropper-plate and a discharge-hole;a seeding-tube or discharge-pipe flexibly in connection with thedischarge-hole and composed of two parts; means provided whereby thelower part may be adjusted out of perpendicular and away from landside;and means for rigidly attaching said lower part of the discharge-pipe tothe plow-beam.

24. In a planter, the combination with a plunger; of a ratchet-tootheddropper-plateactuating dog embracing said plunger and pivoted by apivotto the plunger, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

25. The combination with the hopper having a main bottom and asubbottom; of the stepped blocks Z respectively pivoted by pivots awhich extend respectively through the lower steps of their respectiveblocks into the subbottom so that the upper step can be swung out frombeneath the main hopperbottom to allow said bottom to lower; whereby thehopper is adapted for the use of thick and thin dropper-plates. I

26. In a planter, the combination of abeam; with the hopper furnishedwith a main bottom and subbottom; means provided whereby the subbottomgages the depth of the engagement of detachable dogs on plunger with theratchet-teeth on dropper-plate; an auxiliary extension of said plunger;and means provided for detaching same, substantially as described.

PHILIP LE SUEUR.

Witnesses:

J. B. ROWE, A. M. BEEK.

